Coin-controlled cigar exhibiting and vending apparatus.



A Patented lune lo, |902.

No. v.70i,973.

n. M cL. wmANs. GOIN CDNTBDLLED CIGAB EXHIBITING AND VENDING APPARATUS.v

(Application led Sept. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet Tn: Nonms man: co.. PHoTuLlTNo.. wAsmNGToN, n

No. 70|,978. 'Patented lune lo, |902.

D. MCL. WINANS.

COIN GONTROLLED CIGAR EXHIBITING AND VENDING APPARATUS.

l (Application led Sept, 14, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Tn's uonms PETERS m4. wcm-uma.. wAsrlNnToN. D. c.

@www f no. 7o|,973. A

' i D. McL. wlNANS. com coNTRo'LLED clGAR Ex'HlB'mNa AND vENmNG APPARATUS.

(Application filed Sept. 14. 1899.) (N0 MUdSL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

'a y /Z MHA Ulf

[-1 Hanley 1H: mums PETERS co.. Wow-Limo., wAsHwmoN, D4 c.

Patented lime lo, 190.2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL MoLEoD wINANs, or BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, AssIcNoE To ALBERT n wEAvEE, or NEw YORK, N. Y.

VCOIN-CONTROLLED CIGAR EXHlBlTlNVG AND'VENDING APPARATUS.

- sPECrEIcAcrIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,978, dated-June 1o, 1902.

Appnminn sled september 14, leeg. semina. 730.484. (Nompdi.)

.To a/Z whom t may concern-.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL McLEoD WI- NANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county otBroome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Cigar Exhibiting and Vending Apparat-negl ratus for exhibitingand automatically vending merchandise articles, and more especially,

to that class of devices in which a conveyerbelt is employed for the withdrawal of articles, such as cigars, from a boxin a manner to. display and ad vance them to a point of deliv-l ery; and said invention consists, essentially, p

of coin-controlled mechanism for automatically operating the delivery-drum and connecting apparatus of Such a machine as herein shown and described.

ThatI my invention may be better understood, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings one form of embodiment thereof without intending, however, to limit my invention in its usefulness to the exact embodiment which I have shown. In the drawings, Figure 1 represents iu perspective a one-case compartment containing a box of cigars as arranged for vendingaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top planview of the same with the cover removed, while Fig. 3 represents in side elevation, with cover removed and in full length, said machine when combinedV with a cigar# box arranged in vending vrelation therewith. Fig. 4 represents incross-section on line a;

of Fig. 2 a side elevation of said machine Fig. 5 represents 4in partial view andA partial cross-section a side elevation of. thel box andV coin-operating mechanism. Fig. 6 represents a detailof the coin-receiving'arm, showing a fragmentary portion thereof.

Like numerals indicate like parts in the several figures.

The reference-numeral 7 in said drawings indicates the machine-case, which is preferably constructed of woodand glass. The

general shape thereof is rectangular, while a fing and opening of the case. Vusedinthe case is the ordinary commercial vcigar-box, which is packed with cigars at the lper of the cigar. l

removable cover 8 is provided that has on its top a heavy transparent glass 9 to allow for the proper display otA the cigars 10, which are exposed to View in theoriginal package or;

boxnll in show-.case fashion, thereby'attording an opportunity for the official inspection plied with without necessitating the unlockfactory in the usual manner and from which the end may be removed to provide an 4exit for the withdrawal ofthe cigars when placed in operative position with relation to the with-` d-rawal 'apparatus within said case. VSuch a case may be employed separately in vending cigars, or'several of them may bearranged in a series to form one large show-case forJ ydisplaying a variety of brands of cigars to af. ford a price, color, and size selection; but forj the purposeofthis inventionit will be sufficient to describe the same'as employed in connection with a singlefcase'. The cover Sis also provided on its top front portion or ledge. Vwitha coin-mouthpiece 12, that alines with the entrance of the coin-chute 13, arranged within the case, while the front end of the cover is provided with a vertically-disposed slotted'portionlt, that is of sucient height The box to beto allowtforl the up-and-down play of the main 4 actuating leveror handle 15.'

An apron or trough piece 16 is secured above the front baseportion of the machine and is adapted to extend at a suitable incline to a point where it is conterminous with the radial wings of a deliveryldrunito bev herein .after described and whichis adapted to receive the cigar' after itlias been Vdropped out in such a manner as n t vto break the wrapa 17 represents the rectangular-shapedmetal box or framework, which ismou'tedon and secured to the base 18 and which carries and contains the operating mechanism and which provides between its side walls or plates 19 and` 20 an open way 421, through which the articles to be vended are made to progressively travel. In the forward part of this box or framework and arranged at a proper height above the delivery-apron is a fenderplate 22, which spans the Way and which is provided with supporting-brackets 23 and 24 for joining with screw-bolts 24 to the side plates of the box, respectively. Arranged at a suitable distance back of the fender-plate is the horizontally-disposed rotatable delivery-drum 25, that is provided with pockets 26 on its periphery and which is mounted rigidly on the shaft 27, that extends transversely across the way and which is sustained in suitable bearings in the side plates of said box. The pockets or longitudinally-disposed receptacles may be made in various ways; but I have illustrated pockets formed from narrow strips of metal bent and cut to form concave wings 28, that are arranged and secured in a radial relation to said drum.

Mounted on the axis 27 between the drum and the side plate 2O is rigidly secured a ratchet-Wheel 29, having teeth 30 in its periphery at regular intervals, which are adapted to be engaged by a pawl 3l, carried by the adjacent upright portion of the rocking gate 32, thereby providing for said gate a rocking motion, as well as holding the drum against retrograde movement.

The mechanism for automatically operating the delivery-drum when a coin has been deposited in the coin-chute is located principally on the outer face of the side plate 19, as shown in Fig. 3.

Upon the same shaft 27 with the deliverydrum and upon the portion thereof that extends outwardly beyond said plate is rigidly mounted the spur gear-wheel 33, while at the extreme end of said shaft is pivotally mounted aspringcon trolled main actuating bell-crank lever l5. Through the instrumentality of thisy lever and the coin-actuated companion lever 34 the ratchet gear-wheel 33 controls the forward rotation of the delivery-drum, and as it essential to the proper and consecutive working of the vender that the drum shall be rotated a distance of one pocket every time a determinate coin is dropped into the chute and the main actuating-lever is depressed a predetermined distance I provide in operative relation therewith the following mechanism: rlhe longer arm 35 of the main actuating bell-crank lever l5 extends at a suitable angle through the slotted plate 36 to a point where it projects in front of the case to form a handle or finger that is within convenient reach of the operating purchaser. The range of vertical movement of this handle is normally controlled by the length and disposition ot' the vertical slot 37 in the plate 36, while the coil-spring 38, arranged in opposition to said handle 15 and attached at one end to the short arm 39 of the bell-crank lever and at its other end to the post 40, causes the lever 15 to always be returned to assume the position shown in Fig. 3 after it has been depressed toits downward limit and the hand of the operator has been released. Pivoted to the free end of the short arm 39 at y, midway of its length, is the (normally) horizontallydisposed companion lever 34, the forward end of which extends into the pathway of the coinchute 13 a sufficient distance' to close the discharge-opening 41 thereof. This forwardly extending arm is provided with a longitudinally-extending elongated slot 42, (see Fig. 6,) that registers with the chute-opening 41 for the reception of a coin, thereby constituting a coin-receiving arm, that is normally held in a closed position against the outlet of said chute by a sliding spring-controlled catch 43, which normally abuts against the chute, and that is provided with an under shoulder 44 and which is mounted to move longitudinally on the coin-receiving arm at the inner end of the coin-receiving slot, and which is thereby capable of varying the length of said slot by its longitudinal travel. The counterbalancing-arm 45 of the lever 34 is provided at its end with a spring-controlled pawl-block 46, that normally swings loosely, but which is permitted when the coin-receiving arm 34 is depressed and the counterbalancing-arm 45 is tilted up suiiicien tly to engage with its toothed end 47 the inclined teeth 4S of the segmental rack 49, that extends at a suitable angle to present its toothed track in an arc arranged concentrically to the fulcrums of the respective lever-arms 15 and 34 and which when in engagement with the pawl prevents the retraction of the coin-depressed lever until the spring-held pawl 46 has been forced to travel step by step over the entire notched surface of the rack.

In order to govern the rotation of the wheel 33 and the drum 25, fast on the same shaft, and to allow them to move forward only upon the dropping into the coin-receiving arm of a determinate coin, I provide the lower edge of the coin-receiving arm with a cut-away portion to form a slot or notch 50. The action of the coin upon the aforesaid lever-arm in depressing the same has for its obj ect to engage the said slot or notched portion successively with the series of contact pins or studs 5l, that are rigidly secured and annularly arranged to proj ect at proper intervals from the outer face of the actuating gear-wheel 33, thereby forming a clutch mechanism to turn said wheel a predetermined distance for the purpose set forth, and by reason of the undue inclination given to the coin-receiving lever when it reaches the limit of its downward travel the coin` carried thereby is made to strike a projecting lug 52 in the pocket 53, and said coin is gently tipped out and dropped into the inclined channel or groove 54.

The reason for providinga longitudinallysliding spring-controlled catch will now be explained.

When the lever 34 is at restin a horizontal position, the catch 43 by reason of the action of the blade-spring 55 is made to abut the chute 13 by shouldering against thc small lug lOO IIO

56. 'When in that position, the slot 42 is reduced in length to the proper size to receive the determinate coin of a given weight and dimension; but when aheaviercoin or dummy of the proper size is usedfin `the machine it will in its descent strike'the shoulder 44 of the catch'43 and by its increased weight'overcome the spring 55, controlling the position of the catch in its abutment'against' the chute 13, and thereby push the shoulder out of the way, allowing the Acoin'or dummy todrop through the enlarged slotway into the pocket 53. proper size be employed, it would` lodge in the slot42, but would not depress the receivingarm sufficiently to allow the catch -4'3 to clear the lug 56 or to enable the slotl or notch 50 to engage `any of the series of ypins 5l on the wheel 53. While the receiving-arm was in this position the slightest touch upon the operating bell-'crank lever l5 would instantly widen thel slot 42 by forcing the retreat of the slidingcatch 43 along the receiving-armut the lever 34 and the lighter weight coin or dummy would be dropped into the chute 53.

' Arranged inconnection with the lower portion of the chute I' pivotally mount a small bell-crank lever 57, having one of its arms 58 extending `normally to one side of the coinpassage 59 in the chute 13, while the other o arm 60 extends outwardly from the metal box to a' point where it strikes and rests in a raised position and in contact with the main actuatingr lever orvhandlel with which `it is designed to coperate and which is held in forced contact therewith by reason ofthe spring 6l or other elastic connection which is arranged to pull said arm down upon the handle-lever 15, and which when said lever is depressed forces the contacting arm ina following downward movement to a distance y sufficient to'throw the arm 58 in a direction to lessen' the width'of the coin-chute at that point, as shown in dotted lines, thereby serving to arrest any coin deposited within the chute at a time when the handle 15 is de-` pressed for any, purpose whatsoever; but when the handle is returned to its normal position of rest it strikes the arm and overcomes the power of the small spring 61 and throws the arm in the direction of increasing the width of the chute, thereby providing for a the deliverydrum.

clear passage for the deposited coin and allowing it to drop into the slot 42 and then operate the machine, las before described.

Arranged adjacent to the receiving side of' the delivery-drum and in a feeding relatione., projecting on a line that will admit of the conveyance of articles to the pockets of the delivery-drum--is the rearwardly-extending rotary band or endless belt 62, that is intended to advance progressively forward to v This endless belt is stretched and folded over a rectangularshaped carrying-frame 63, that comprises a pair of thin flat metal arms 64, arranged in parallelism and connected at their extremities Should a coin of lighter weight but by a like thin cross-piece 65, all` lyin'g'in -the same plane. This frame ispivoted at its inner endon a horizontally-arranged shaft or axis 66, the trunnion ends of whicharej'ounnaled in spring-held bearing'blocks orboxes 67, located, respectively,`in the 'recesses or 70; lIt is important that'there shall b e no 8o slipping of the endless conveyer, andto this end there is mounted adjacentto the forward end of the belt and in, horizontal parallelism behind the pulley 70 the idlerpresser-roller 7l, which in conjunction withthe'adjustable 85 tension-'blocks 67 act as take-ups to maintain the belt always in a tautl or stretched 'conditionand the frame in abnoyant condition. The belt is made, preferably, of felt material and when yarranged in connectionwith the 9o carrier-frame forms a thin blade, that may be raised and lowered by hand `tosnitable incli-` nations and levels and which'may be thrust endwise into the bottom of a cigar-box packed with cigars, so as` to lie inoperative con'tactgg with the undermost layerof cigars, andthereby feed them forward out of said box to the delivery-drum. Travel is imparted `to the conveyer-belt from the wheel 33 through r`the intermediate gear-,wheel 72 and pinion 73," which are in train therewith-,while said pinion 73 is made fast on the pulley-shaft 70.

Extending transversely j across the way above the forward endof the conveyer-belt, where it engages thev pulley 70, and immediately adjacent to the receiving side of the delivery-drum there is disposed a vertically-` movable rocking (clearing) gate 32, thatcom- IOO prises a pair of uprights 74 and 75, that prof ject normally between the ends ofthe pulley 70 and vthe respective walls of the box'and which are indented or odset, as shown at 755,. to allow lof'their rearward swing to a point j where they contactwith the trunnions4 of shaft.

70. These uprights are sustained by their bifurcated ends, which restuponlvthe trunnions 77, that project horizontally from "the, inner faces near the bottom .portions of the .wall-plates, and the gateis held yieldingly in such pivotal relation by the downpull of the spring 7 8,'which connects with the upright'a'nd is anchoredas shown in Fig. 4j. The upright 74k is provided on its forward edge with an integral projection or pawlv 31,' that` engagesy with the teeth 30 of the ratchet-wheel 29 to cause when actuated therocking of 'said up` rights toand fro. The uprights are connect-` edat their top portions by the-cross-piece 76, which spans the way and which` extends downward toward the plane of theconveyerbelt sufficiently to forml a passage-way` of vai height that will allow of the feedingof cigars therethrough only in a single layer, while the cigars that have been drawn to that point IIO and which tend to pile up are gently pushed back, thereby avoiding all chance of clogging the way to the interference of their proper successive delivery to the drum.

It is important to provide a means for preventing the insertion of coins when the delivery-drum has been emptied of all the cigars fed thereto, and I will now proceed to describe a means that I provide for closing the chute against the deposit of a coin therein.

Arranged in operative relation to the delivery-drum is the vibrating lever 80, that is centered on the rocking spindle 81, that is sustained in suitable bearings in the respective wall-plates of the metal box. The vibrating lever is provided on its outwardlyextending arm 82 with a counterbalancingweight, which has a tendency to throw arm 83 into range of the wings of the drum; but When the pockets of said drum are filled with cigars the bodies thereof project sufficiently to maintain the feeling-arm 83 in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. The horizontally-disposed spindle also carries on its inner end at substantially right angles the upwardly-extending rod 84. This rod is bent in a suitable manner for the purpose of presenting at its free end a cross-pin arm 85, that extends in a plane horizontally coincident with that of the slot 86 in the side of the chute near its entrance. The cross-pin arm is yieldingly sustained within said slot in the right-hand position shown in Fig. t as long as the arm S3 of the vibrating lever contacts successively with the respective bodies of the cigars as they are brought to that point in the revolution of the drum; but when an empty pocket is brought into operative relation with said arm 83 the weighted arm causes the spindle to turn to allow the arm 83 to swing into the nearest pocket, While the rod and cross-pin are thrown to a left-hand position, as shown in dotted lines, and the arm in said slot bars the way to the insertion of a coin in said chute.

The operation of the foregoing mechanisms and devices being apparent from the foregoing description, what I desire to claim as new and useful is- 1. In combination with a gravity-lever extended into the pathway of the dischargeopening of a coin-chute, and which is provided with a coin-receiving slot that registers with said opening, of a spring-controlled 1ongitudinally-movable catch that is ranged to travel over said slot to vary its length, and which is adapted to rest in abutment against said chute, substantially as described.

2. In a coin-chute-closing device comprising a spindle mounted to partially rotate and carrying a rod that extends upward at substantially right angles, a cross-arm projecting from said rod, in a plane horizontally coincident with and into a slot in the side wall of the coin-chute; and a vibrating lever centered on said spindle in range of the travel of the delivery-drum, as and for the purpose Set forth.

3. The combination with a main actuatinglever in a coin-operated machine, of a smaller bell-crank lever pivotally mounted at one side of the coin-passage of the coin-chute, to present one arm that is held by a down-pulling spring, in normal contact with the main actuating-lever, While the other arm thereof is positioned to swing into the coin-passage to arrest a coin dropped therein, when the outer arm is allowed to be pulled down in colisequence of the depression of the main actuating-handle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL MCLEOD WINANS.

Vitnesses:

JULIA AKnRs, WM. HEPBURN RUSSELL. 

